Just Like a Shadow
by RhiannonWolf
Summary: This is my take on how Shadow and Maria met. Rated K  because Maria is shot, and a little blood.


Hello! I wante dto try a Shadow and Maria story, so here I am! No flames please!

I do not own anything in this story. At all. I know, sucks, right? But at least I can write about it!

Lovely Shadows

Space is cold and dark. Little Maria found this out the hard way. She looked healthy, but in reality, she was very sick. Maria had a disease known as N.I.D.S, which stands for Neuro-Immune-Deficiency-Syndrome. Her grandfather, the famous scientist Gerald Robotnik, had built a space station, and had sent for Maria to come and live wih him. This was so he could try and find a cure for her illness.

Maria herself was the picture of sweetness. She was pale, with light blonde hair that just reached her shoulders, and eyes as blue as the sea. She was very polite, and never complained about anything. When Maria left her home, she was a very tiny baby, and therefore didn't remember anything about Earth. She can be found staring out of the big window down at the blue and green planet, longing to visit. You see, Maria was ahppy on board the station, named Space Colony ARK, but she was the only child around.

Maria was a very lonely little girl.

But one day, all of that changed.

Maria, at ten years of age, is walking down the hall, trying to find something to do. She had read all of the books in her room, and didn't want to play by herself.

'_Oh why can't I have a friend here?' _she wondered. _'Isn't there anyone on this ship who isn't too busy to play with me?' _

A scientist walking down the hall saw Maria and went to her.

"Maria," he said. "your grandfather wants to see you. He says it's urgent."

Maria's blue eyes lit up. "Really? Oh I wonder what it could be." She said and then ran down the hall to her grandfather's lab.

She reached the big metal doors and paused. What could her grandfather want?

She slowly pushed the button that opened the door, and walked inside. "Grandpa?"

Seated in the room was a round man with a graying mustashe. When he heard Maria, he turned and smiled at her.

"Ah, Maria." He said. "I was wondering where you were."

"Just in the halls." She answered. "I was told you wanted to see me."

"That I did." He said. He leaned closer. "Maria, are you happy here?"

Maria was a little surprised at his question. "Why yes, I am happy here. You and all of the scientists take very good care of me."

"Yes, but are you lonely?" he asked. "I've seen you walking down up and down the halls, and it's been troubling me."

Maria was quiet.

"So you are lonely."

"Well, you and the scientists are too busy." Maria accused softly. "So I don't have anyone to play with."

"Maria, what would you do if you had a friend?" her grandfather asked.

"What? Well, I suppose I would play with them, and they would play with me." She answered.

"That's a good answer." Gerald replied with a smile. "Because I have a friend for you."

Maria's face split into a wide smile. "Really? A frined? Oh thank you!" she cried, hugging him.

Gerald laughed softly. "You're welcome. Hold on, I'll get him." He said, getting up and walking to another room.

Maria couldn't remember a time when she'd been happier. Her grandfather had gotten her a friend! Was he nice? Would he like her?

Then her grandfather came back into the room with a small figure behind him.

"Maria, I would like you to meet Shadow." He said, gesturing to the figure behind him. Gerald moved aside so Maria could see.

Shadow looked like a three-foot tall hedgehog with black fur. He had red stripes down his quills, arms and legs. His muzzle was tan, and he had a little patch of white fur on his chest. There were rings on his wrists and ankles, and he was wearing heavy-looking metal shoes that clinked when he walked. His quills were a little bent in the back, and there were two more spikes protruding from his shoulder blades. His eyes were a deep ruby red. If it weren't for the shy expression on his face, Maria would have been a little wary of him, which she was. But it lasted for about five seconds. Then Maria smiled again.

"Oh Grandpa! He's adorable!" she squealed, jumping on Shadow in a hug. Shadow looked a little confused at first, but then he wrapped his arms around Maria in a return hug.

Maria released Shadow and turned to her grandfather. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome Maria." Gerald smiled. "Now go on and play."

"Yeah!" Maria cried, grabbing Shadow's hand and almost dragging him out the door. "Come on Shadow! Let's play hide-and-seek!"

"Hide-and-seek?" Shadow repeated. He had a surprisingly deep voice, but it was velvety smooth. "What is that?"

Maria stopped running and paused. "Well, it's a game where I hide, and then you try and find me. If you find me, you tap me and say "Tag!" and then you hide, and I find you."

"Sounds easy enough." Shadow mumbled.

"Oh it's so much fun!" Maria cried. "Grandfather and I used to play it when I was little."

"Okay." Shadow said.

"I'll hide first." Maria said, running in a random direction.

"Uh-Maria!" Shadow called, but she didn't answer. Shadow didn't know hardy anything about the ARK! How was he going to find her? Shadow decided to walk towards where Maria had gone, hoping he'd find her there.

He looked for half an hour until he found her in a supply closet. He went up behind her and tapped her shoulder. "Tag!"

Maria spun around in surprise. "You found me! Now you have to hide!"

"But where?"

Maria giggled. "Well I can't tell you silly! Then it would be too easy for me to find you! You have to find a place by yourself."

"Okay." Shadow said, not really quite sure about Maria's plan. But he wanted her to be happy, so he did as she said.

Shadow ran down the hall, and found another closet. He opened the door and slipped inside, closing it softly behind him. Shadow waited for about ten minutes, and then Maria found him.

"How'd you find me so fast?" he asked.

"I've been on this station for as long as I can remember." Maria replied. "And your shoes make a noise when you walk."

"Oh." Shadow said, looking down at his feet.

"Let's play something else." Maria said, taking his hand again. They ran past a room when Maria stopped suddenly, almost causing Shadow to hit a wall. He skidded to a stop and looked back at her. She was walking into the room, and so Shadow followed her.

"Maria what is it?" he asked.

She pointed out the window, down at Earth. Of course, Shadow had no idea what she was doing.

"What is that?"

"That's Earth." Maria replied. "I want to go down there someday."

"Why?"

Maria was still staring out the window. "Because down there, the seasons change, the sun shines, and you can see the coulds above your head. Grandfather has told me the most amazing stories about that planet Shadow. He says it's so beautiful. So I want to see it for myself. But I can't go down there until I get better."

Shadow had heard the scientists speaking of Maria's illness, so he didn't ask about it. But now he was _very _curious about this place called 'Earth'.

"And there are kids like me down there." Maria added. "Kids that play all day."

Shadow suddenly felt a little guilty. He knew he couldn't replace a human friend, but he thought he wasn't doing too bad.

"Perhaps you can come woth me Shadow." Maria suggested. "That would make it even more fun!"

Shadow smiled. "I'd like that."

Maria turned back to him. "Okay, let's get back to our game."

"What were we playing?" Shadow asked as they walked down the hall.

"I don't know. I was hoping you'd have an idea."

TWO YEARS LATER…

"Shadow! Wait!" a twelve year-old Maria cried. Shadow had decided their game today.

Tag.

"Shadow!" Maria cried again.

He did stop this time, and waited for Maria to catch up with him.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly. Shadow often forgot how much faster he was.

Maria put her hands on her hips. "Shadow, please don't go so fast. How in the world do you expect me to catch you?"

In all honsety, Shadow really didn't expect Maria to catch him.

Then she reached out and hit his shoulder. "Tag! You're it!" she cried, running away.

Except when she did that.

Shadow chuckled. "Maria that's cheating!"

"So is your running!" she answered from the other end of the hall. She blew him a raspberry and turned a corner.

"Hey!" Shadow cried playfully, chasing after her. He caught up to her in less than a minute.

Maria sighed. "Shadow, can we please do something else? I'm getting tired of running."

"Okay. So what do you want to play?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know."

Shadow sweat-dropped. "Maria, you never know."

"That's cause I'm hoping you'll decide for me." She said sweetly.

Shadow sighed. "But if you don't like the games I choose, then why do you always let me pick?"

"I thought you would pick something different." Maria said. "But it doesn't matter. Come on, let's go and visit Grandfather."

"Okay." Shadow said, following Maria.

But before they could, the red warning lights started flashing in the halls. Something was wrong!

Shadow instinctively stood in front of Maria to protect her. But from what?

Then Shadow's keen hearing picked up the sound of heavy footsteps running their way. Shadow grabbed Maria's hand.

"Maria, we have to go."

"What about Grandfather?" Maria cried out in fear.

"He'd want you to be safe." Shadow said. He ran as fast as he could without hurting Maria, and pretty soon, they were hearing gunshots. And voices.

"Stop! We can't let them get away!"

"Shadow, I'm scared!" Maria cried. She stumbled a bit.

"Don't worry!" Shadow tried to reassure her. He ran into a room full of escape pods, and locked the door.

"Now we need to find one to use." Shadow said, walking over to them. Suddenly, a pod was put over him. He spun around and saw Maria at the controls.

"What do you think you're doing?" he cried, banging his fists on the glass. "Maria!"

She smiled sadly at him. Why did she seem paler?

Shadow's eyes widened in horror as he realize what mus have happened. There was a little red pool gathering on the floor next to her. One of the bullets must have hit her! And now she was giving up her life for his! No!

"Maria!" he cried again, this time tears falling.

"Listen Shadow, I want you to promise me. Please."

"No wait!"

"Remember that no matter what happens, I'll always be your friend Shadow. We always talked about visiting the plante together one day, but it looks like you'll have to go without me." Maria began to slowly sink to the floor, her hand still grasped around the lever. "Shadow please promise me…that you'll help people…and be…friends with them."

"Maria! No!" Shadow was still yelling.

Maria smiled sadly at him. "I'm sure you'll be very happy down there Shadow. I only wish that I could go along with you." she paused for breath. "The world looks so beautiful from up here in space. But my grandfather says the people who live there, have to face many problems. That's why you were created. To be the one who will watch over and protect us. Just like…a…shadow."

Shadow was past the point of speaking; his voice was choked by tears and pure sorrow. Maria drew herself up again, and grasped the lever tighter.

"M-Maria!" Shadow sobbed.

"Sayanora, Shadow the Hedgehog." Maria gasped as she pulled the lever down, before falling to the floor, never to move again.

"MARIA!" Shadow screamed as the capsuel was ejected. _'Yes! Yes I promise you Maria!' _Shadow thought desperately. He had been shouting so much he hadn't really understood what Maria had said. _'I will get revenge for you! I will avenge your death Maria! I promise!' _And with that thought, Shadow slipped into unconsciousness as he fell to the Earth.

That was my very first ShadowxMaria story! How was it? Do I need to do thing differently? And also, if anyone else had this idea, I send my sincerest apologies, I'm not copying off of anyone. This was just a quick idea I had. But please, send your review, 'kay? I'll give you a cookie! *holds plate of cookies* How about chocolate chip? Till next time! Tee hee!


End file.
